The next console generation is exciting as it is depressing. With all the press conferences and announcements of these new powerful gaming machines, we should be excited! But there are many of us that are disappointed with how the upcoming ‘next generation’ is looking. I am one of these people.
When I buy a gaming console, normally it’s used. I have yet to buy a brand new gaming console to this date. I have received a new one and that was my Playstation 3. And that I could honestly say was a good purchase for a new console. Typically these new consoles are buggy. They have issues. I always like to wait until the first price cut and wait to see if any ‘Yellow Lights’ or ‘Red Ring of Deaths’ occur. So needless to say even if I was completely ready for the next new console, I probably would not get it at launch.
But when I do end up getting a system, it’s because of one thing and one thing only. To play video games. After a long day of work, I don’t want to be bombarded with social media, ads, or 12 year old kids screaming at me calling me a noob in Call of Duty. I like to get lost in another world and forget about the real one for a moment. And that’s what a gaming console should be centered around. The gaming. Not distraction.
And putting my own personal opinion in here, that’s exactly the opposite that Microsoft showed me about their new Xbox console. I’ve heard over and over about how the Xbox One decided to get all the boring stuff out of the way at their press conference and save the gaming aspects for E3. Well, first impressions are always the best. And if I was trying to promote something to a loyal gaming audience, I wouldn’t have done that. It’s just poor marketing and poor delivery.
So far the features that they have discussed for the Xbox One is not one centered around gaming and if that doesn’t change by E3, I will have no use for an Xbox One. And the hilarious aspect of their marketing campaign is that it’s an All-In-One system. No it’s not. The Wii U is a more All-In-One system than the Xbox One. The term Kinect should have been saved for this new Xbox, because you’ll still have to connect all your other ‘boxes’ to it.
Having extra features and a console that does more is cool. I like the ability to have Netflix and stream things from my PC to my console. Having a browser, doesn’t really appeal to me. Being able to watch TV on it? Really doesn’t appeal to me. Microsoft is now catering to ‘everyone else’ instead of the people that put money in their pockets. They are catering to more of the casual let’s play Call of Duty, Skype my friends about fantasy football and watch ESPN gamer. That is such a small demographic it’s not even funny. And if Microsoft thinks they can survive on that they’re very wrong.
Playstation is not out of the water yet either. Because while there are several more features I prefer now on it than Xbox One, there is still the looming threat of ‘no used games’. We still do not know exactly how they will implement this new feature of not being able to have used games. And they have already said there will be ways to still do this ‘digitally’. But if it goes how everyone thinks it will, it will be the worst decision of these new consoles.
You can throw a bunch of needless features into a console and it’s something we can learn to deal with. But then to have your console restricted? You’re locked down to buying new games. And if you want to borrow your friends you can’t. You can remote play your friends game over the internet. What happens when you have poor internet. And you’re friend is not online? These solutions to the no used game rule are broken.
You’re taking games away from people. The families that can’t afford to pay 40-60 dollars a game for their kids. The poor college student that wants to rent a game for a night because all his money is going to school and Ramen. These are just a few scenarios that encompass used games that ultimately take those games away from those gamers.
For those of you that don’t agree I’d like to hear your opinions. For those that do agree. I suggest watching this video below. It’s by a Youtuber named Boogie2988. He is mainly known for his Francis rage videos. But he also has serious ones like this one. Where he talks about his personal serious opinion. Let me know what you think! And if you really want to help get the word out to the console companies, you should take Boogie2988’s video. Share it, post it, and tweet it with Microsoft and Sony tagged in your post. With enough people doing this we should get heard!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23VPBUQisV4&w=560&h=315]
